Resource tracking

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments relate to resource usage tracking. A resource monitor may monitor resources of a network. A database may record resource usage. A client program may provide resource in a graphical display at a variety of specificity levels. A user may select portions of the graphical display to adjust information presented.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/053,740, filed Feb. 25, 2016, which claimspriority to U.S. provisional application 62/145,878 filed on Apr. 10,2015, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference

FIELD

Some embodiments may relate to resource usage.

BACKGROUND

Computing environments offer limited resources to accomplish complextasks.

SUMMARY

The following should be interpreted as example embodiments and not asclaims.

A. An apparatus comprising: at least one resource monitor configured to:monitor one or more resources of a network configured for low latencytrading operations at a first level of specificity; and report themonitored one or more resources to a database system at the first levelof time-specificity, in which reporting include identifying a respectivemonitored time; the database system configured to: receive the reportedmonitored one or more resources; in response to receiving the reportedmonitored one or more resources, store the reported monitored one ormore resources keyed by the respective monitored time at the first levelof specificity; receive a request, from a client program, forinformation about the one or more resources from a range of time; inresponse to receiving the request for information, transmitting, to theclient program, data indicating the usage of the one or more resourcesover the range of time at the first level of specificity; the clientprogram configure to: receive a selection of the one or more resourcesand the range of time; in response to receiving the selection,transmitting, to the database system, the request for information;receiving, from the database system, the data indicating the usage ofthe one or more resources over the range of time at the first level ofspecificity; in response to receiving the data, render the data into agraphical representation of the data with a second level of specificity,in which the second level of specificity is less specific than the firstlevel of specificity, in which the graphical representation of the datawith the second level of specificity: 1) presents the information in acircular format with time increasing around the circle, and 2) isdivided into a plurality of slices of times in the range of time, inwhich each slice of the plurality of slices covers a portion of therange of time, in which the plurality of slices sum to the whole rangeof time, in which each slice presents a level of resource usage at thesecond level of specificity; receiving a selection of one slice of theplurality of slices of the graphical representation; and in response toreceiving the selection of the one slice of the plurality of slices,adjusting the graphical representation to focus on the portion of therange of time covered by the one slice, in which adjusting the graphicalrepresentation includes: 1) expanding the one slice to cover thecircular format of the graphical representation, and 2) dividing the oneslice into a plurality of subslices that each cover a portion theportion of the range of time covered by the one slice and in which theplurality of sub slices sum to the portion of time covered by the oneslice, in which each sub slice presents a level of resource usage over arespective covered time.

A.1. The apparatus of claim A, in which the at least one resourcemonitor includes a processor. A.2. The apparatus of claim A, in whichthe network includes a software defined network. A.3. The apparatus ofclaim A, in which the one or more resources includes at least one of CPUusage, memory pressure, memory rate, network input/output, temperature,power usage, latency, free memory, memory fragmentation, availablebandwidth, and used bandwidth. A.4. The apparatus of claim A, in whichthe one or more resources includes at least one of: number of trades persecond, amount of money, instruments traded, incoming orders, executedtrades, outgoing orders, number of cancellations, and volume of sales orpurchases. A.5. The apparatus of claim A, in which the at least oneresource monitor includes a plurality of resource monitors. A.6. Theapparatus of claim A, in which the adjusted graphical representationallows a user to further adjust the graphical presentation to becomemore specific. A.7. The apparatus of claim A, in which the adjustedgraphical representation includes a control that allows a user to removethe adjustment. A.8. The apparatus of claim A, in which the eachsubslice presents at the first level of specificity. A.9. The apparatusof claim A, in which each subslice presents at a level of specificitythat is less specific than the first level of specificity. A.10. Theapparatus of claim A, in which the graphical representation before theadjustment includes concentric slices at different levels of specificitythat are each less specific than the first level of specificity.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a system according to at least one embodiment disclosedherein;

FIG. 2 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 3 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 4 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 5 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 6 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 7 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 8 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein;

FIG. 9 depicts an example interface according to at least one embodimentdisclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some embodiments provide a convenient manner of visualizing resourceusage in a computer environment. One example environment in which suchvisualization of resource usage might be useful is a high frequencytrading environment. In such an environment, a delay in processing ortransmission can be costly. Such networks may be desired to be lowlatency to facilitate high speed trading. Visualizing resource usage mayallow for optimization of a system, tracking of bottlenecks, andunderstanding of the system's weaker points. One example high frequencytrading environment that may benefit from the use of such visualizationincludes the Lucera high frequency trading cloud. Such a network mayinclude a software defined network.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example structure that may be used in someembodiments. A database 101 may store data indicating during each of aplurality times. The database may be stored by a database system. Such asystem may include a computing device such as a server or other devicethat may provide access to and/or processing related to data stored inthe database.

In some embodiments, the data may be stored at a highest level ofspecificity that may be visualized (e.g., highest specificity segment ina tier discussed elsewhere). For example, in an embodiment where avisualization tool provides a highest level of specificity at a perminute level (as illustrated in some of the figures), then the data maybe stored in the database at a per minute level. This may allow forefficient accessing of data at this highest level of specificity. Itshould be recognized that per minute is given as an example only. Otherlevels of specificity may be used as desired. For example, in a highfrequency trading environment, a second may be considered a long periodof time. Embodiments in such an environment may have specificity asgreat as micro seconds, milliseconds, nanoseconds, picoseconds, and/orany level of specificity that is desired. In other environments, aminute may be considered a short time and the highest level ofspecificity may be much longer (e.g., a day).

Data may also be stored at a less specific level, such as the per hourlevel in addition to the higher specificity level. This additionalstorage may allow for quick access at this less specific level.

Other embodiments may not have such additional storage of data. In suchembodiments, data at the higher specificity level may be used tocalculate data for a less specific level. For example, usage per minutemay be used to calculate usage over an hour. Storage in such a mannermay save storage space but may be more intensive to calculate at a latertime. The calculation of the less specific data may be done by adatabase system and/or a client displaying a visualization as desired.

Still other embodiments may store data at a level of specificity basedon received information. For example, if data is received indicatingresource usage over each second, then data may be stored at a per secondlevel of specificity. This approach may allow for an efficient writingof data into the database. The data may later be processed to provide adesired visualization specificity.

Some embodiments may combine approaches. For example, data may be storedat a greatest level of specificity and at some lower levels ofspecificity and at a received level of specificity but not at all lowerlevels of specificity that may be visualized. Such an approach may offersome increase in speed at the cost of some storage.

The data that may be stored may reflect the usage of some resource overvarious time periods. For example, data for the first hour of a day maybe stored indicating resource usage over that hour. As another example,data about the second fifteen minute period in a particular hour may bestored indicating resource usage over that fifteen minute period. Itshould be recognized that hour and fifteen minutes are given as exampletime periods only. For each period desired and at each specificity leveldesired, a resource usage over the time period may be stored in thedatabase. Such data may be accessed to provide a visualization of theresource usage. In some embodiments a continuous storage of resourceusage data may be maintained.

The stored data may be indicative of one or more resources used. Forexample, CPU usage/time, memory pressure, memory rate, networkinput/output, actions per time period e.g., number of trades per secondin an HFT environment), volume per time period (e.g., amount of moneyand/or instruments traded in an HFT environment), inbound actions (e.g.,incoming orders), outbound actions (e.g., executed trades, outgoingorders), temperature, power usage, latency, free memory, memoryfragmentation, available bandwidth, used bandwidth, number ofcancellations, volume of sales and/or purchases, and/or any informationindicative of a desired resource may be stored. Although examples aregiven in the resource usage and trading environment, it should berecognized that other things and/or environments may benefit fromvisualization. For example, anything with a count, percentage,continuous of discrete set of values, and so on may be visualized insome embodiments.

The stored data may be indicative of some aspect of a resource. Forexample, maximum over a period of time, a count over a period of time, aminimum over a period of time, a mean over a period of time, a medianover a period of time, a mode over a period of time, and/or any desiredaspect of a resource may be stored.

Data may be stored in the database so that the time period it describesmay be determined. For example, data may be keyed with a time indicator.In some embodiments data may be stored so that a specificity level maybe determined. For example, data may be keyed with an indicator of aspecificity of the data. In some embodiments, a database may respond toa query for a time period with data indicating resource usage over thattime period. In some embodiments such a query may indicate a desiredspecificity level, and a database may respond accordingly.

A database system may receive reports regarding the resource usage andstore information about those reports according to a scheme such as theones described above or otherwise as desired. The data received mayindicate resource usage over a period of time that corresponds with adesired stored specificity of time (e.g., a greatest level ofspecificity, etc.) or other specificity of time. The data received maybe an ongoing data (e.g., a continuous count), data at a greater levelof specificity (e.g., data at a microsecond level when the data isstored at the second level), and so on. Such data may be processedbefore it is stored so that it is stored at a level of specificity thatis desired and/or may be stored directly.

For example, an ongoing report of trades may be received by a databasesystem. The report may indicate each time a trade is made. The databasesystem may sum the count of trades over a period of time to store acount of trades per period of time. As another example, a CPU usage permicrosecond report may be received by a database system. In someembodiments, the database system may store the usage per microsecondinformation.

In other embodiments, the database system may combine together a groupof such reports to create a usage per second report and store the usageper second report. Depending on the aspect of usage being measured thecombination may take a variety of forms. For example, a maximum usageper microsecond may be combined so that the maximum usage over a secondis created by choosing the highest of a million maximum usages permicrosecond as the maximum per second. As another example, a minimum persecond from minimum per microseconds may be found and/or stored in asimilar manner. As yet another example, an average per second may befound from averages per microsecond by summing a million microsecondaverages and dividing by a million. It should be recognized that levelsof specificity and manners of combining higher levels of specificity togenerate lower levers of specificity are given as examples only. In someembodiments, multiple levels of specificity may be determined and/orstored from such data. One of ordinary skill in the art will understandfrom these examples, that other manners of combination and otherspecificities may be used.

Reports of usage that may be used to create usage visualizations may bereceived from any desired source. For example, a router, switch, hub,access point, dedicated network monitor, and/or other device may reportnetwork usage. A computer device may be configured to report resourceusage of the computer device. For example, a CPU may report memoryand/or processor time. An FPGA may be programmed to include a reportingelement of one or more resources.

Such reporting may include transmitting data to a database system. Adatabase system may be separate from a system or resource beingmonitored and/or may be part of a same system. Such transmission mayinclude transmission over a data bus and/or a computer network such as aLAN, the Internet, and so on.

Although a single reporting entity 103 is shown in the examples, itshould be recognized that any number of resources used by any number ofreporting entities may be visualized, tracked, stored, and so on invarious embodiments, For example, a data center worth of processors maybe tracked in some embodiments. In an embodiment where there may bemultiple resources and/or devices being tracked, an entry in a databasemay be made for each device and/or resource.

Some embodiments may include a client device 105 that may present avisualization of usage information to a user. A client device mayinclude a computing device such as a general purpose computer, asmartphone, and/or any desired device. A program may execute on such adevice (e.g., by executing instruction by a processor) that may receiveinformation from database system 101 and present the information to auser as a visualization of resource usage. Information may be receivedover a network such as a LAN or the Internet.

Client device 105 may process the information. For example, a JavaScriptprogram or other program may receive a highest level of specificity dataand may aggregate it into less specific data in some embodiment. Inother embodiments, the program may receive information at a plurality ofspecificity levels and display the received data in a rendered form. Theprogram may process data into a visual form for user to view the usagedata. The program may receive actuations of controls (e.g., mouseclicks) and respond to the actuations by altering the displayedvisualization in a desired manner. For example, the program may requestadditional data form the database system in response to a click of asegment and then may alter the visualization to reflect the new data. Asanother example, the program may otherwise display previously receivedinformation in a new way in response to an actuation (e.g., by furtherprocessing and/or rendering the data in a new way).

FIG. 2 illustrate an example of a visualization of usage data that maybe presented in some embodiments. Such a visualization may be created bya program run on a client based on input from a user and data receivedfrom a database.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a visualization of resource usage may includea key 201, a numerical indicator 203, a first tier 205, a second tier207, and a third tier 209. Each tier may visualize resource usage atdifferent specificities in a graphical manner. The tiers may be arrangedin a concentric manner so that as tiers move from one direction toanother the specificity increases. In this example, the tiers arearranged in a circular manner so that the outer tier is the mostspecific and the inner tier is the least specific. This is given as anexample only and other examples may have tiers with more specificityand/or be arranged in other shapes such as squares.

Key 201 may show a conversion from the graphical manner to a numericalmanner. In this instance a percentage of CPU usage is shown and a keyindicates how a color corresponds to a percentage. As the color getsdarker the percentage gets higher in this example. In other embodiments,each tier may have a different key, a key may be arranged differently ornot used at all, and/or a key may change as a visualization changes.

The first tier 205 is arranged in this example as a circular elementaround a numerical indicator 203. The first tier shows data at a firstlevel of specificity. In this examples that is the lowest level ofspecificity. Here, the lowest level of specificity is an hour and thedisplay is set to show one day's worth of data. So, the first tier isarranged to show twenty-four hours in that one day by arranging thefirst tier into twenty-four consecutive hour segments corresponding tothe twenty-four hours in the day.

As indicated, a cursor 211 may move around the visualization. In thisinstance the cursor is hovering over a first segment of the first tierthat corresponds to the first hour of the day.

Numerical indicator 203 is arranged to indicate a numerical valuecorresponding to the section of the tier that is being selected and/orhovered over by the cursor. Here, 55% and 1:00 is shown to indicate thatduring the first hour the CPU usage was 55%. As the cursor moves fromsegment to segment and/or tier to tier, the numerical indicator may beupdated with data reflecting new tiers and segments. For example, FIG. 3shows the cursor moved to a new segment in tier 1. In this instance thethirteenth hour of the day is selected and/or hovered over, so thenumerical indicator shows 13:00 and an indication that CPU usage duringthat time was 59%. While just a single element is displayed by theindicator in this example, it should be recognized that the indicatormay become as complex as desired (e.g., may have multiple CPU usages formultiple processors, may have heat, memory, and/or other elements)

To determine numbers for display by a numerical indicator as a cursormoves, a program may reference data received from the database systemand render the data to make a number that corresponds to the time periodselected and/or hovered over. To fill of visualization of segments in atier, a program may reference data received from the database system anda conversion of that data to a color (e.g., that corresponds with thekey). The program may do that for each segment and may render thedetermined colors into the visualization in the arrangement of thetiers. In some embodiments, the program may process received data todifferent levels of specificity first. In other embodiment the programmay receive the data already processed into the desired levels ofspecificity. Each time a display is changed (e.g., such as by actuatinga segment) a program may reprocess data, redetermine a layout,redetermine a color for each segment of each tier, render avisualization according to determined information and/or take anydesired actions to facilitate a visualization of the data.

It should be recognized that any arrangement may be used in terms oflevel of specificity, number of items displayed over a length of time,arrangement of times, positioning of a numerical indicator, number oftiers, and so on.

A second tier 207 indicates data at a greater level of specificity thana first tier. In this example, the second tier is arrange concentricallyaround the first tier. The second tier is positioned so that times matchwith the times of the first tier. Here, the second tier shows data at afifteen minute increment level of specificity. It is arranged so that astart of a first fifteen minute segment is aligned with a start of anhour segment of the first tier, the subsequent fifteen minute segmentsfollow so that the last fifteen minute segment ends with the end of thecorresponding hour segment of the first tier. The key applies to each ofthe tiers in this example in the same manner. In other implementationsthere may be a different key for each tier.

A user may move a cursor over or otherwise select a segment in thesecond tier to adjust a numerical indicator. FIG. 4 shows an examplewhere the cursor is moved over the first segment of the second tier.This segment corresponds to the first fifteen minutes of the first hourof the twenty-four hour period covered by the visualization. Thenumerical indicator is adjusted to reflect the 00:15 time and that CPUusage was 49% during that time period. As with the first tier, thecursor may be moved from segment to segment and the numerical indicatorwill be adjusted in response.

A third tier 209 may indicate data at a still further level ofspecificity than the second tier. In this example, the third tier isarranged concentrically around the second tier. The third tier ispositioned so that times match with the times of the first and secondtiers. Here, the third tier shows data at a single minute incrementlevel of specificity. It is arranged so that a first minute segment isaligned with a start of both an hour segment of the first tier and afifteen minute segment of the second tier. Subsequent minute segmentsfollow so that they continue to align with the lower tiers.

A user may move a cursor over or otherwise select a segment in the thirdtier to adjust a numerical indicator. FIG. 5 shows an example where thecursor is moved over the fiftieth segment of the third tier. Thissegment corresponds to a portion of the fourth segment of the secondtier and the first segment of the first tier. The numerical indicator isadjusted to reflect the 00:50 time and that CPU usage was 76% duringthat time period. As with the first and second tiers, the cursor may bemoved from segment to segment and the numerical indicator will beadjusted in response.

It should be recognized that the figures are given as non-limitingexamples only. Other examples may have specificity that differs. Forexample, specificity may be much lower or much greater. Otherembodiments may have a greater or lower number of tiers. More tiers maycontinue to be more specific. More tiers may continue to be concentricand aligned with inner tiers allowing a user to move further from acenter to obtain more specific information about a resource usage.

A computing device may generate such a visualization by processing dataand controlling a display screen to display the tiers. In someembodiments, a database system may transmit the information to populateeach segment of each tier to a computing device. The computing devicemay receive that information and populate the visualization with thereceived data. As a cursor moves, the computing device may either readfrom received data to determine how to populate the numerical indicatoror request a numerical indicator from the database system.

In some embodiments, the database system may send some information, suchas a greatest specificity data available or to be displayed to acomputing device. The computing device may use that information tocalculate the data for the display. Examples of using greaterspecificity data to calculate less specific data are given elsewhereherein. Such calculation may be made by the computing device to populatethe visualization.

The examples of FIGS. 2 to 5 are shown as an ongoing, real time, or nearreal time display of usage. In such an example, the display does nothave information from the middle of the fourteenth hour onward. Suchinformation may continue to be populated as time passes and data aboutfurther segments is available and received from a database system. Otherembodiments may not offer such a real time functionality but rather maydisplay information about historic time period sonly. Segments aboutwhich there is no data yet may not be populated with a color from thekey and may not result in a numerical indicator being populated if theyare selected and/or hovered over.

In some embodiments, a user may select a time period, a resource, and/ora device of interest. That selection may be used to determine theinformation to be visualized. Although a selection interface is notshown for such a selection, it would be understood by one of skill inthe art. For example, a user may enter a time period, select from a setof available time periods, selected (one or more) from a set ofavailable resources to display, select from a set of available devices(e.g., processors, networks, etc.) to display, and so on. A computingdevice may use that selection to request the appropriate informationfrom a database server and make the appropriate visualization to theuser.

In some embodiments, a user may actuate a section of the interface. Forexample, in FIG. 2, the user may actuate the section over which thecursor is positioned. Such actuation may be performed for example, byclicking, double clicking, and/or otherwise pressing a section with amouse, finger, button, etc. In response to the actuation, thevisualization may be changed based on the section actuated.

For example, in response to the actuation of the segment over which thecursor is positioned in FIG. 2, the visualization may be changed to besimilar to that of FIG. 6. In response to an actuation of a segment, thevisualization may be changed to effectively zoom in on the segmentactuated. Here, FIG. 6 shows the data about the first hour of thetwenty-four hour period shown in FIG. 2 because the actuated sectioncorresponded to that first hour.

FIG. 6 shows a cursor 601, a first tier 603, a second tier 605 and anumerical indicator 607. These elements may operate similar to thosedescribed with respect to FIG. 2.

For example, the first tier may reflect data about the actuated timeperiod in FIG. 2. Here, that data is the data that was in tier two ofFIG. 2 and was associated with the actuated segment of FIG. 2. That is,these elements are the four fifteen minute segments from tier two ofFIG. 2 that made up the first hour in tier one of FIG. 2.

As another example, the second tier may reflect data about the actuatedtime period in FIG. 2 as well. Here, that data is the data that was intier three of FIG. 2 and was associated with the actuated segment inFIG. 2. That is, these elements are the sixty one minute segments fromtier three of FIG. 2 that made up the first hour in tier one of FIG. 2.

The cursor may similarly move around from segment to segment in thisinterface. The numerical indicator may be changed as a new segment isselected and/or hovered over. For example in FIG. 6 the fourth segmentin the first tier is hovered over. The numerical indicator shows thatthat segment corresponds to 01:00 of the period of time from FIG. 2(i.e., the period that ends spans from 00:45 to 01:00) and that CPUusage during that time period was 54%. As another example, FIG. 7illustrates the cursor moving to the forty-fifth segment of tier two.The numerical indicator, in response, is changed to indicate that thetime corresponds to 00:45 of the period of time from FIG. 2 and that CPUusage during that time was 92%.

In some embodiments, there may be additional tiers in such an interface.The additional tiers may add higher levels of specificity. Those tiersmay be additional to the tiers that were previously displayed. Theexample of FIGS. 6 and 7, however, are an example of minutes being thehighest level of specificity. Other embodiments may include any numberof layers of specificity at any level. For example, specificity may goas specific as the tenths of seconds, hundredths of seconds,microseconds, milliseconds, nanoseconds, picoseconds, and so on. Someembodiments may have a lower level of specificity as starting point thanthose shown in FIG. 2. It should be recognized that various embodimentsmay have any number of steps or levels of specificity and any number ofsteps between such levels as desired.

In some embodiments, a segment in a visualization such as that of FIG. 6or 7 may be actuated. For example, a second segment of the first tier ofFIG. 6 or 7 may be actuated. This segment may correspond to the secondfifteen minutes of the twenty-four hour period of FIG. 2. In response, anew visualization may be displayed base don't hat selection. FIG. 8illustrates an example of such a visualization. In response to anactuation of a segment, the visualization may be changed to effectivelyzoom in on the segment actuated.

FIG. 8 shows a cursor 801, a first tier 803 and a numerical indicator805. These elements may operate similarly to those described withrespect to prior figures.

For example, the first tier may reflect data about the actuated timeperiod from FIG. 6. Here the data is the data that was in tier 2 of FIG.6 and was associated with the actuated segment in FIG. 6. That is, theseelements are the fifteen minutes segments from tier two of FIG. 6 thatmade up the second fifteen minutes in tier 1 of FIG. 6.

The cursor may similarly move around from segment to segment. Thenumerical indicator may be changed as a new segment is selected and/orhovered over. For example, in FIG. 8 the fifteenth segment in tier 1 ishovered over. The numerical indicator shows that that segmentcorresponds to 00:30 of the period of time from FIG. 2 and that CPUusage during that time period was 92%.

As discussed with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7, there may be more tiers inthis visualization or the tiers may have different specificity levels asdesired. There may be any number of layers of depth to a visualization.FIG. 8 may show an example of lowest level in some embodiments. FIGS. 6and 7 may show an example of a second lowest level in some embodiments.FIGS. 2-5 may show an example of a third lowest level in someembodiments. Any of such levels may be a highest level or there may behigher levels, which may or may not have more tiers) as desired.

The examples so far have been given in terms of moving from one layerdown to another layer. Some embodiments may allow for other types oflevel movement. For example, in some embodiments, from a level of FIG.2, a user may actuate a segment in the second tier corresponding to thethird fifteen minute segment of the first hour. In response, the usermay be presented with the visualization of FIG. 8. In this way, a usermay skip a visualization zoom in and effectively zoom in twice by oneactuation. This may have a similar effect in higher tiers to allow anynumber of zoom in as desired.

In some embodiments, an actuation on a highest level of specificity maydisplay additional information about that layer of specificity. Forexample, while CPU usage is shown now in the center indicator. If ahighest level of specificity is actuated, that may be an indication thata user desired more information about that specific time slice. So, asystem may provide more information about that time slice, such as otherresource usage.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to actuate a section of thevisualization to move out to a lower level. For example, in FIG. 8, auser may actuate a center portion with the numerical indicator to moveback out to a lower level of specificity. In response to an actuation ofthat section, the user, may be presented with a display similar to thatin FIG. 9. A user may actuate the center in the display of FIG. 9 tomove further out another level (e.g., to a display similar to that ofFIG. 2). A user may actuate a section in FIG. 9 to move down to a highlevel of specificity.

By using such a visualization interface, a user may zoom in and at toview a desired level of specificity at any desired time.

It should be recognized that various examples are non-limiting. Otherembodiments may be arranged or operate in different manners withdifferent specificity and/or data. For example, some embodiments mayhave segments in tiers that are not aligned rather than the examples ofaligned segments given. As another example, some embodiments mayidentify a segment by a beginning time rather than an end time of thesegment in the numerical indicator. As yet another example, someembodiments may not use a cursor but may rather and/or additionally usea touch pad (e.g. one touch to select a segment a double tap to actuatea segment). One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that manyother elements may differ and are still contemplated by this disclosure.

Some embodiments may include at least one resource monitor configuredto: monitor one or more resources of a network configured for lowlatency trading operations at a first level of specificity; and reportthe monitored one or more resources to a database system at the firstlevel of time-specificity, in which reporting include identifying arespective monitored time. For example element 103 may act as such aresource monitor. The resource monitor may include one or moreprocessors. The network may include a software defined network.

Some embodiments may include the database system configured to: receivethe reported monitored one or more resources; in response to receivingthe reported monitored one or more resources, store the reportedmonitored one or more resources keyed by the respective monitored timeat the first level of specificity; receive a request, from a clientprogram, for information about the one or more resources from a range oftime; in response to receiving the request for information,transmitting, to the client program, data indicating the usage of theone or more resources over the range of time at the first level ofspecificity. For example, element 101 may act as such a database system.

Some embodiments may include the client program configure to: receive aselection of the one or more resources and the range of time; inresponse to receiving the selection, transmitting, to the databasesystem, the request for information; receiving, from the databasesystem, the data indicating the usage of the one or more resources overthe range of time at the first level of specificity; in response toreceiving the data, render the data into a graphical representation ofthe data with a second level of specificity, in which the second levelof specificity is less specific than the first level of specificity, inwhich the graphical representation of the data with the second level ofspecificity: 1) presents the information in a circular format with timeincreasing around the circle, and 2) is divided into a plurality ofslices of times in the range of time, in which each slice of theplurality of slices covers a portion of the range of time, in which theplurality of slices sum to the whole range of time, in which each slicepresents a level of resource usage at the second level of specificity;receiving a selection of one slice of the plurality of slices of thegraphical representation; and in response to receiving the selection ofthe one slice of the plurality of slices, adjusting the graphicalrepresentation to focus on the portion of the range of time covered bythe one slice, in which adjusting the graphical representationincludes: 1) expanding the one slice to cover the circular format of thegraphical representation, and 2) dividing the one slice into a pluralityof sub slices that each cover a portion the portion of the range of timecovered by the one slice and in which the plurality of sub slices sum tothe portion of time covered by the one slice, in which each subslicepresents a level of resource usage over a respective covered time. Forexample, element 105 and/or a program executed thereby may act as such aclient program. Various examples of such graphical representations aregiven thorough. In some implementations, the adjusted graphicalrepresentation allows a user to further adjust the graphicalpresentation to become more specific. In some implementations, theadjusted graphical representation includes a control that allows a userto remove the adjustment. In some implementations, each subslicepresents at the first level of specificity. In some implementations,each subslice presents at a level of specificity that is less specificthan the first level of specificity. In some implementations, thegraphical representation before the adjustment includes concentricslices at different levels of specificity that are each less specificthan the first level of specificity.

Processes and/or Apparatus I. Terms

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “process” means any process, algorithm, method or the like,unless expressly specified otherwise.

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

The term “invention” and the like mean “the one or more inventionsdisclosed in this application”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “anotherembodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments ofthe disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “variation” of an invention means an embodiment of theinvention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not necessarily limited to”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the portfolio includes a redwidget and a blue widget” means the portfolio includes the red widgetand the blue widget, but may include something else.

The term “consisting of” and variations thereof means “including andlimited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, for example,the sentence “the portfolio consists of a red widget and a blue widget”means the portfolio includes the red widget and the blue widget, butdoes not include anything else.

The term “compose” and variations thereof means “to make up theconstituent parts of, component of or member of”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the red widget andthe blue widget compose a portfolio” means the portfolio includes thered widget and the blue widget.

The term “exclusively compose” and variations thereof means “to make upexclusively the constituent parts of, to be the only components of or tobe the only members of”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, forexample, the sentence “the red widget and the blue widget exclusivelycompose a portfolio” means the portfolio consists of the red widget andthe blue widget, and nothing else.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in the present application, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase “at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel” meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel. The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifiesa plurality of things does not mean “one of each of” the plurality ofthings.

Numerical terms such as “one”, “two”, etc. when used as cardinal numbersto indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), meanthe quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at leastthe quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase“one widget” does not mean “at least one widget”, and therefore thephrase “one widget” does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”. The phrase “based at leaston” is equivalent to the phrase “based at least in part on”.

The term “represent” and like terms are not exclusive, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. For example, the term “represents” does not mean“represents only”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words,the phrase “the data represents a credit card number” describes both“the data represents only a credit card number” and “the data representsa credit card number and the data also represents something else”.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

The term “e.g.” and like terms mean “for example”, and thus does notlimit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “thecomputer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data structure) over theInternet”, the term “e.g.” explains that “instructions” are an exampleof “data” that the computer may send over the Internet, and alsoexplains that “a data structure” is an example of “data” that thecomputer may send over the Internet. However, both “instructions” and “adata structure” are merely examples of “data”, and other things besides“instructions” and “a data structure” can be “data”.

The term “respective” and like terms mean “taken individually”. Thus iftwo or more things have “respective” characteristics, then each suchthing has its own characteristic, and these characteristics can bedifferent from each other but need not be. For example, the phrase “eachof two machines has a respective function” means that the first suchmachine has a function and the second such machine has a function aswell. The function of the first machine may or may not be the same asthe function of the second machine.

The term “i.e.” and like terms mean “that is”, and thus limits the termor phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “the computer sendsdata (i.e., instructions) over the Internet”, the term “i.e.” explainsthat “instructions” are the “data” that the computer sends over theInternet.

Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numberswithin the range. For example, the range “1 to 10” shall be interpretedto specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3,4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, . . . 1.9).

Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of anexplicit statement that the terms or phrases are synonymous), instancesof one such term/phrase does not mean instances of another suchterm/phrase must have a different meaning. For example, where astatement renders the meaning of “including” to be synonymous with“including but not limited to”, the mere usage of the phrase “includingbut not limited to” does not mean that the term “including” meanssomething other than “including but not limited to”.

II. Determining

The term “determining” and grammatical variants thereof (e.g., todetermine a price, determining a value, determine an object which meetsa certain criterion) is used in an extremely broad sense. The term“determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and therefore“determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving,investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database oranother data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining”can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g.,accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” caninclude resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply certainty or absolute precision,and therefore “determining” can include estimating, extrapolating,predicting, guessing and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply that mathematical processing mustbe performed, and does not imply that numerical methods must be used,and does not imply that an algorithm or process is used.

The term “determining” does not imply that any particular device must beused. For example, a computer need not necessarily perform thedetermining.

III. Forms of Sentences

Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as wellas more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least onewidget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where ina second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses adefinite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”),this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature,and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of thefeature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than onewidget).

When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) isused as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unlessexpressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature,such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature thatis described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a“first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a“second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and“second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any otherrelationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate anyother characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mereusage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term“widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or afterany other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widgetoccurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does notindicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as inimportance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbersdoes not define a numerical limit to the features identified with theordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers“first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate thatthere must be no more than two widgets.

When a single device, article or other product is described herein, morethan one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) mayalternatively be used in place of the single device/article that isdescribed. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as beingpossessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than onedevice/article (whether or not they cooperate).

Similarly, where more than one device, article or other product isdescribed herein (whether or not they cooperate), a singledevice/article may alternatively be used in place of the more than onedevice or article that is described. For example, a plurality ofcomputer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-baseddevice. Accordingly, the various functionality that is described asbeing possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively bepossessed by a single device/article.

The functionality and/or the features of a single device that isdescribed may be alternatively embodied by one or more other deviceswhich are described but are not explicitly described as having suchfunctionality/features. Thus, other embodiments need not include thedescribed device itself, but rather can include the one or more otherdevices which would, in those other embodiments, have suchfunctionality/features.

IV. Disclosed Examples and Terminology Are Not Limiting

Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of thepresent application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of thepresent application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scopeof the disclosed invention(s), is to be used in interpreting the meaningof any claim or is to be used in limiting the scope of any claim. AnAbstract has been included in this application merely because anAbstract is required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

The title of the present application and headings of sections providedin the present application are for convenience only, and are not to betaken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

Numerous embodiments are described in the present application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presentlydisclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, asis readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Though an embodiment may be disclosed as including several features,other embodiments of the invention may include fewer than all suchfeatures. Thus, for example, a claim may be directed to less than theentire set of features in a disclosed embodiment, and such claim wouldnot include features beyond those features that the claim expresslyrecites.

No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in thepresent application constitutes the invention claimed herein, or isessential to the invention claimed herein, or is coextensive with theinvention claimed herein, except where it is either expressly stated tobe so in this specification or expressly recited in a claim.

The preambles of the claims that follow recite purposes, benefits andpossible uses of the claimed invention only and do not limit the claimedinvention.

The present disclosure is not a literal description of all embodimentsof the invention(s). Also, the present disclosure is not a listing offeatures of the invention(s) which must be present in all embodiments.

All disclosed embodiment are not necessarily covered by the claims (evenincluding all pending, amended, issued and canceled claims). Inaddition, an embodiment may be (but need not necessarily be) covered byseveral claims. Accordingly, where a claim (regardless of whetherpending, amended, issued or canceled) is directed to a particularembodiment, such is not evidence that the scope of other claims do notalso cover that embodiment.

Devices that are described as in communication with each other need notbe in continuous communication with each other, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit toeach other as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for long period of time (e.g. weeks at atime). In addition, devices that are in communication with each othermay communicate directly or indirectly through one or moreintermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components/features are required.On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent/feature is essential or required.

Although process steps, algorithms or the like may be described orclaimed in a particular sequential order, such processes may beconfigured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence ororder of steps that may be explicitly described or claimed does notnecessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in thatorder. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in anyorder possible. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneouslydespite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously(e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover,the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does notimply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations andmodifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process orany of its steps are necessary to the invention(s), and does not implythat the illustrated process is preferred.

Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps,that does not imply that all or any of the steps are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other processes that omit some or all ofthe described steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step isessential or required.

Although a process may be described singly or without reference to otherproducts or methods, in an embodiment the process may interact withother products or methods. For example, such interaction may includelinking one business model to another business model. Such interactionmay be provided to enhance the flexibility or desirability of theprocess.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality ofcomponents, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, thatdoes not indicate that any or all of the plurality are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other products that omit some or all ofthe described plurality.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unlessexpressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items(which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of theitems are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, aPDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list aremutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three itemsof that list are comprehensive of any category.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are equivalent to each other orreadily substituted for each other.

All embodiments are illustrative, and do not imply that the invention orany embodiments were made or performed, as the case may be.

V. Computing

It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that thevarious processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,appropriately programmed general purpose computers, special purposecomputers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one ormore microprocessors, one or more microcontrollers, one or more digitalsignal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a memory orlike device), and execute those instructions, thereby performing one ormore processes defined by those instructions. Instructions may beembodied in, e.g., one or more computer programs, one or more scripts.

A “processor” means one or more microprocessors, central processingunits (CPUs), computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signalprocessors, or like devices or any combination thereof, regardless ofthe architecture (e.g., chip-level multiprocessing/multi-core, RISC,CISC, Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages, pipeliningconfiguration, simultaneous multithreading).

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of anapparatus for performing the process. The apparatus that performs theprocess can include, e.g., a processor and those input devices andoutput devices that are appropriate to perform the process.

Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as other types ofdata) may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g.,computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments,hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or incombination with, some or all of the software instructions that canimplement the processes of various embodiments. Thus, variouscombinations of hardware and software may be used instead of softwareonly.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium, a plurality ofthe same, or a combination of different media, that participate inproviding data (e.g., instructions, data structures) which may be readby a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take manyforms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, opticalor magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media includedynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes themain memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire andfiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled tothe processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves,light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generatedduring radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications.Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppydisk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM,an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrierwave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computercan read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingdata (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For example, datamay be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii) carried over awireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or transmittedaccording to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such as Ethernet(or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth, and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G;and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure privacy or prevent fraud in any of avariety of ways well known in the art.

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of acomputer-readable medium storing a program for performing the process.The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate format) thoseprogram elements which are appropriate to perform the method.

Just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicatethat all the described steps are required, embodiments of an apparatusinclude a computer/computing device operable to perform some (but notnecessarily all) of the described process.

Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a process does notindicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of acomputer-readable medium storing a program or data structure include acomputer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed, cancause a processor to perform some (but not necessarily all) of thedescribed process.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) could be used to store and manipulate the data typesdescribed herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a databasecan be used to implement various processes, such as the describedherein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be storedlocally or remotely from a device which accesses data in such adatabase.

Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication (e.g., via acommunications network) with one or more devices. The computer maycommunicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via any wired orwireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, atelephone line, a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communicationsline, commercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, asatellite communications link, a combination of any of the above). Eachof the devices may themselves comprise computers or other computingdevices, such as those based on the Intel® Pentium® or Centrino™processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any numberand type of devices may be in communication with the computer.

In an embodiment, a server computer or centralized authority may not benecessary or desirable. For example, the present invention may, in anembodiment, be practiced on one or more devices without a centralauthority. In such an embodiment, any functions described herein asperformed by the server computer or data described as stored on theserver computer may instead be performed by or stored on one or moresuch devices.

Where a process is described, in an embodiment the process may operatewithout any user intervention. In another embodiment, the processincludes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or withthe assistance of a human).

VI. Continuing Applications

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication.

Applicants intend to file additional applications to pursue patents forsubject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed inthe present application.

VII. Disclaimer

Numerous references to a particular embodiment do not indicate adisclaimer or disavowal of additional, different embodiments, andsimilarly references to the description of embodiments which all includea particular feature do not indicate a disclaimer or disavowal ofembodiments which do not include that particular feature. A cleardisclaimer or disavowal in the present application shall be prefaced bythe phrase “does not include” or by the phrase “cannot perform”.

VIII. Prosecution History

In interpreting the present application (which includes the claims), oneof ordinary skill in the art shall refer to the prosecution history ofthe present application, but not to the prosecution history of any otherpatent or patent application, regardless of whether there are otherpatent applications that are considered related to the presentapplication, and regardless of whether there are other patentapplications that share a claim of priority with the presentapplication.

What is claimed is:
 1. (canceled)
 2. An apparatus comprising: at leastone processor configured to control: monitoring one or more resources ofa network configured for low latency trading operations at a first levelof specificity; storing the monitored one or more resources keyed by arespective monitored time at the first level of specificity;transmitting, to a client processor, data indicating usage of the one ormore resources over a range of time at the first level of specificity;receiving, from the client processor, a selection of the one or moreresources and the range of time; rendering, at the client processor, thedata into a graphical representation of the data with a second level ofspecificity, in which the second level of specificity is less specificthan the first level of specificity, and in which the graphicalrepresentation of the data with the second level of specificity: 1)presents the information in a circular format with time increasingaround the circle, and 2) is divided into a plurality of slices of timesin the range of time, in which each slice of the plurality of slicescovers a portion of the range of time, in which the plurality of slicessum to the whole range of time, and in which each slice presents a levelof resource usage at the second level of specificity; receiving, fromthe client processor, a selection of one slice of the plurality ofslices of the graphical representation; and in response to receiving theselection of the one slice of the plurality of slices, adjusting thegraphical representation to focus on the portion of the range of timecovered by the one slice, in which adjusting the graphicalrepresentation includes: 1) expanding the one slice to cover thecircular format of the graphical representation, and 2) dividing the oneslice into a plurality of subslices that each cover a portion of theportion of the range of time covered by the one slice and in which theplurality of subslices sum to the portion of time covered by the oneslice, in which each subslice presents a level of resource usage over arespective covered time.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which thenetwork includes a software defined network.
 4. The apparatus of claim2, in which the one or more resources includes at least one of CPUusage, memory pressure, memory rate, network input/output, temperature,power usage, latency, free memory, memory fragmentation, availablebandwidth, or used bandwidth.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, in which theone or more resources includes at least one of: number of trades persecond, amount of money, instruments traded, incoming orders, executedtrades, outgoing orders, number of cancellations, or volume of sales orpurchases.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the at least oneprocessor includes a plurality of first processors.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 2, in which the adjusted graphical representation allows a user tofurther adjust the graphical presentation to become more specific. 8.The apparatus of claim 2, in which the adjusted graphical representationincludes a control that allows a user to remove the adjustment.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 2, in which the each subslice presents at the firstlevel of specificity.
 10. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the eachsubslice presents at a level of specificity that is less specific thanthe first level of specificity.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2, in whichthe graphical representation before the adjustment includes concentricslices at different levels of specificity that are each less specificthan the first level of specificity.